The Last Goodbye
by DarkPoltergeist
Summary: Leia is mortally wounded and says goodbye to Luke; but the force has a surprise in store for all of them…


_AN: So very sad today at the announcement of Carrie's death. She wasn't only Princess Leia to SW fans, but a remarkable woman in her own right. If you haven't taken the time to learn more about her, you should do so. She overcame so much and lived her life with a passion and talent that made her quite amazing._

 _This is only fanfiction and only a small tribute but writing a story and dedicating it to her is all that I can do. Carrie, God bless you, and thank you for sharing your incredible career and life with us. You will be forever loved and missed._

 _Story Summary: Leia is mortally wounded and says goodbye to Luke; but the force has a surprise in store for all of them…_

The Last Goodbye

By Dark Poltergeist

The firefight was small but intense as Leia and Luke worked to fend off the last pocket of the First Resistance fighters they were up against, pinned into a small corridor on the First Order ship. Luke faced the attackers in front of them, advancing on them as he deflected their shots with his lightsaber as Leia used the blaster in her hand. She glanced behind her and saw that two troopers had appeared and were taking aim at Luke who hadn't yet seen them.

"Luke!" she cried as she turned to fire and hit both of them with unerring accuracy, and they fell in a heap. Pleased, she smiled and then her smile froze as she wondered why it was that she felt so numb. She looked down at her left side and saw an incredible amount of damage, blackened flesh outlined the raw wounds that were bleeding profusely.

"Luke," she gasped as she felt her mobility stop and she fell onto the deck behind him.

"Leia!" Luke yelled as he dispatched the last of the Stormtroopers and turned to see her on the floor in a pool of her own blood. He bent down and scanned the damage, taking a moment to compose himself before he looked back into her face.

"How bad?" She asked softly.

His eyes searched hers and he tried to find something positive to say to her, but there was no medic nearby, and without a major medical facility…he didn't even think the limited force healing he could do would help her…

"S'okay," she lisped. "It had to happen…sometime…

"I'll get you out of here to medical," he said, trying to hide his desperation.

She reached her hand up and for just a moment stroked his cheek. "Luke…It's time…I've…done enough…"

"But Leia!" His eyes betrayed him as he eyed her wound and tried to hide the fear it evoked in him.

"Let…me go…Luke…" she whispered, her eyes starting to shut.

"It's okay, kid. I've got her," an eerily familiar voice said and Luke looked up to see Han, or at least a translucent image of him appear before them.

"Han?" He gaped at his friend's appearance. "What? I mean, how? You're not force sensitive."

"Ya got me." Han shrugged and knelt down beside Leia. "Come on, Princess. I'm here for you." His ghostly fingers stroked her face with an intimate tenderness that Luke had often witnessed between the two.

"Hey, you're young!" Luke said as he took in more of Han's appearance.

"Yeah, you got a problem with that?"

"No, none." He looked back to Leia who was still breathing, but with great difficulty. "I can't save her, Han. I'm so sorry." Luke felt the tears rolling down his cheeks as a sudden tingling worked its way through his shoulder and he looked up to see Han's hand there.

"It's okay. That's why I'm here. To bring her back with me."

"Han?"

"Yeah, Luke?"

"How are you? I mean, what's it like being a…ghost?"

Han laughed, the old familiar laugh that Luke hadn't heard in years, and somehow it made his tears flow faster.

"Hey Kid, I missed you too. I'm sorry we couldn't settle our differences before…well, you know."

"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry too. I was only trying to do my best…"

"Don't worry about it anymore. I'm past it. I kind of have no choice in that, but it's okay." Han turned back to Leia and took her hand in his. Her eyes fluttered open and a rapturous smile crossed her face.

"Han," she whispered his name like a prayer.

"Yeah, Sweetheart, it's me."

"You're real?"

"Much as I can be."

Leia frowned and realized how heavy her breathing had become. "Dying…"

"Yes."

"I'll be…with you?" Her eye were barely open as she looked at Han.

"Yup. Forever and ever. You okay with that, Princess?" Han grinned at her.

"More…than…okay…" her voice was soft, barely discernable. With one last great effort she moved her eyes to look over at her grief stricken brother. "Luke…take care…of things…for me…"

"Of course," Luke swallowed the lump in his throat.

"Good…very good," Leia's voice faded into oblivion and Luke bowed his head, unable to prevent the sobs that shook his chest.

"It's okay, Luke. I told you, I got her," Han's voice rumbled near Luke's ear.

Luke looked up, feeling that tingle on his shoulder again where Han's ghostly hand lie. "Where is she?"

"Faith, Luke. Didn't you always tell me that? Give her a few minutes." Han stood up, or at least gave the appearance of standing up, and stared at Leia's now still body.

Luke watched in fascination as just a couple of minutes later, an image of Leia, translucent as Han was, sat up from her now still body and looked around, confused.

"Leia," Han spoke, his voice commanding, and she turned her head to see him. Several expressions crossed her face in succession; fear, disorientation, acceptance and finally, recognition.

"Han?" she asked, her voice missing the earthly timbre of mortality, and having a rather ethereal quality to it.

"None other," he smirked at her. "C'mere," he reached out his hand to her and gently pulled her to her feet beside him. She wrapped her arms around her husband and nestled against him, holding him as tight as a ghostly form can.

Luke had collected himself, and stopped the flow of his tears. He watched the two people he loved most in wonder, amazed at the power of the force, and he wondered if they could actually feel each other hugging in the state of existence that they were now in.

"We can," Leia murmured softly, turning her face away from Han's chest.

"And you're happy?" Luke asked hopefully.

"Yes, I have my Nerf herder back," she said as she glanced at Han who was watching her with adoring eyes.

"Ready for forever, Princess?" He asked, his eyes alight with love for his wife.

"Forever? With you?" she snorted, but the humor was unmistakable.

"Why? Did you have someone else in mind?" He tried to act indignant, but neither of the other two believed it.

Luke laughed and the two specters regarded him with surprise. "I guess some things never change, even in the afterlife. Are you two going to spend the rest of eternity arguing?"

"I don't know. Maybe!" Han said as he crossed his arms in front of him.

Leia just laughed as she leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on Han's lips.

"You can feel that?" Luke cocked his head in curiosity.

Han pulled away from Leia and smirked. "We're on the same plane of existence now, Kid. What do you think?"

"I think I don't want to know." He gave them a sad smile. "Will I see you again?"

"Don't know."

"I'll miss you."

"I love you, Luke," she said and walked over to him and kissed his cheek. "Do your best."

"I will." He swallowed that damn lump in his throat again. "You two will be all right?"

"Better than all right, I have my Princess back." Han squeezed her hand and she smiled back at him.

"I love you," she whispered to Han.

"Love you too," he whispered back.

Then they both stepped forward and hugged Luke, setting his body ablaze with electric tingles until they stepped away from him, wide smiled on their faces.

"So what do we do now, Nerf Herder?" Leia asked looking into Han's face.

"We enjoy our time together. No wars, no rebellion, no darkness, just us." Han cupped her spectral cheek with his spectral hand. "Think you can handle it?"

"I can, can you Flyboy?" Her smile was like a beacon in the dark and Han smirked at her.

"Then let's go," he said and gave a little tug on her hand. She resisted for just a moment and looked back at Luke and back at her body, distressed. "Leia."

She looked back at him.

"It's okay. I promise. I've got you."

Leia nodded and closed her eyes, finally letting go of her physical ties, then turned to face Han. With a last wink at Luke, he took his Princess into his arms, pulled her in tight and began to kiss her in a passionate way that Luke didn't know spirits could do. He stared at the empty space where they had been for minutes after they had vanished, both calmed and somewhat disturbed by their parting image.

Then with a sad sigh, he commed his fellow resistance fighters, requesting their help to bring Leia's body home. The first soldier to arrive was Poe, who stopped, stunned when he saw the General's body on the floor.

"Luke, what happened? Is she…"

"Yes, she's gone." Luke said but felt strangely calm with the knowledge. "But she's okay."

"What?" Poe gave him a distressed look.

"She's with the force…and Han." He gave the younger man a knowing look.

"She's?" Poe took a few moments to digest Luke's words, and then nodded. "Good. I mean, it's appropriate. No matter what happened between them they always did love each other. Everyone knew it." He sighed. "It's a shame they wasted so much time apart."

"Yes, but I think they'll make up for it now. They have nothing but time."

The two men exchanged sad smiles.

"I hope they're happy," Poe said, his expression earnest.

Luke heard a contented sigh from Leia and smiled. "I'm sure they're just fine."


End file.
